Nemanja Bjelica Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Rose, Porzingis, Jackson

February 24th, 2017 at 4:45pm CST by Milo Taibi

Carmelo Anthony is unsure of the Knicks‘ direction after standing pat at the trade deadline. “I think they were kind of planning on the trade deadline, whether they were trying to make moves,” Anthony said. “I think that was one plan. Now they’ve got to get back to the drawing board and come up with another plan about the future of this team.”

Anthony’s frustration is understandable. Team president Phil Jackson extensively discussed the prospect of shopping Anthony, despite ‘Melo’s no-trade clause. While Anthony wasn’t mentioned in trade rumors throughout the deadline, the team was apparently rebuffed by Minnesota on a Ricky Rubio-for-Derrick Rose swap. Anthony claimed he “kind of knew” he wouldn’t be dealt in the days leading up to the deadline, and spoke for his teammates in criticizing the front office’s lack of transparency.

“Yeah, I mean, nobody likes to be in limbo,” Anthony said. “We all want to know kind of what’s going on, especially when it’s involving you. I think there’s other players who feel the same way, that they want to be involved — not involved, but at least up to date with what’s going on.”

Trade Rumors: Rose, Rubio, Okafor, Caldwell-Pope

February 22nd, 2017 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have reached out to the Knicks about a possible Derrick Rose deal, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose has fallen out of favor with Knicks president Phil Jackson, who is disappointed with the veteran guard’s effort on defense. Rose is entering free agency and sources tell Berman that New York would rather move him now than give him a long-term deal. He won MVP honors in Chicago in 2011 under Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau.

The proposed deal is believed to involve Ricky Rubio, whom Thibodeau has never believed in as his long-term point guard, according to Berman. Rubio still has two years and more than $29MM left on his contract and has been the subject of trade rumors since Minnesota drafted Kris Dunn last summer.

The Knicks contacted the Wolves about Rubio at last year’s deadline, Berman writes, and have been interested in him since he entered the league in 2009 because of the recommendations of their European scout, Kevin Wilson, who is based in Barcelona.

New York also reportedly likes Minnesota’s Nemanja Bjelica and inquired about his availability as part of the Rose discussions, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).

There’s more on the trade front as Thursday’s deadline inches closer:

The Rockets have asked about Wolves guard Shabazz Muhammad, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minneapolis. Wolfson doesn’t believe the teams are close to a deal.
The Pistons refused an offer from the Sixers involving Jahlil Okafor and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, tweets Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. Philadelphia offered to bring a third team into the trade, but Detroit still wasn’t interested. The Pistons reportedly have hesitations about giving Caldwell-Pope a maximum salary after his contract expires at the end of the season. The Sixers have been calling around the league trying to make a deal for Okafor, with the Pacers and Bulls as the most frequently mentioned potential trade partners.
The Suns are looking for someone to take Brandon Knight‘s contract and might be a fallback option for an Okafor trade, according to Fischer (Twitter link). A former starter in Phoenix, Knight in is the midst of a disappointing season, averaging 11.0 points per game and shooting less than 40% from the field. He still has three seasons and nearly $43.9MM left on his current deal.
The Thunder and Clippers remain in pursuit of Nuggets swingman Wilson Chandler, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.

Thibodeau Discusses Fresh Start In Minnesota

September 25th, 2016 at 9:51am CST by Arthur Hill

After a year away from the game, Tom Thibodeau is back as coach and president of basketball operations with the Timberwolves, who have one of the most intriguing collections of young talent in the NBA. Minnesota added point guard Kris Dunn through the draft this summer and improved its bench by signing free agents Jordan Hill, Cole Aldrich and Brandon Rush.

Kent Youngblood of The Star-Tribune talked with Thibodeau about his return to the game, his reputation as a defensive coach, his expectations for the young Wolves and Ricky Rubio‘s role now that Dunn is in town. Here are some highlights of the interview:

On Rubio’s role in Thibodeau’s offense:

“I think he’ll fit in very well. He’s a good player. He practices hard. He can really pass the ball. Passing and defense are two things that help build your team, brings the best out of people. I think Ricky has the ability to make other people better.”

On Rubio and Dunn as a possible starting backcourt:

“We’re going to get a lot of those questions answered in the preseason as we go forward. You want to go step by step. You don’t want to skip over things. I like guys who can play multiple positions, I like different combinations. There are times when you play two point guards together. I did that a lot in Chicago, just the speed of the game changes.”

On possible improvement from Nemanja Bjelica:

“I’m excited about him. He’s had a great summer. He’s in really good shape. He has a very unique skill set: He can shoot the three, he can put it on the floor. The one thing that is probably overlooked is his playmaking ability. You can run pick-and-roll with him. He’s got great vision, he can pass over people.”

On the additions of Aldrich and Hill:

“The way Cole played the second half of last year, I think he’s figured out who he is. The last two years have been very good for him. He fits in well, plays to his strengths, covers up his weaknesses, makes the team function well. And Jordan has been a very good player in this league. That gives us quality depth up front.”

On playoff expectations:

“I don’t want to put a lid on what we can do, but I want us doing the right things. Concentrate on that improvement and how fast we get there, I don’t know. We’re young and we’re going to improve. I think we’ll be a different team at the end of the year than what we were at the beginning of the year.”

Western Notes: Exum, Wroten, Rubio, Bjelica

July 17th, 2016 at 10:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Jazz coach Quin Snyder isn’t sure how much Dante Exum will be able to contribute after missing an entire season with a torn ACL, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Exum, who averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 assists as a rookie in 2014/15, was cleared for full-contact basketball activity last month. He decided not to join the Australian team for the Olympics and will concentrate on getting ready for training camp. “I think that’s an injury that he’ll be back from, but it’s not a simple thing,” Snyder said. “… We don’t really have a specific timetable on that as far as where he is, but I know he’s missed playing. He loves to play and I think this will be an opportunity for him to start doing that again and I know he’s excited and we’re excited for him.” Exum will face competition for playing time from George Hill, who was acquired in a trade from the Pacers last month, and Shelvin Mack, who became the team’s starting point guard late in the season after joining the team in a deal with the Hawks.

There’s more from the Western Conference:

Point guard Tony Wroten could agree to return to the Grizzlies, tweets international journalist David Pick. Memphis waived Wroten on Tuesday, but Pick hears that a reunion is still possible. It was the second trip to the waiver wire this summer for Wroten, who was cut loose by the Knicks after the Derrick Rose deal.
Trade rumors involving Ricky Rubio have been simmering since the Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn, but owner Glen Taylor expects the team to hold on to the Spanish point guard, relays Sid Hartman of The Star Tribune. “I don’t see that as a likely possibility,” Taylor said of a deal. “I just think the coach, everybody, likes Ricky. I think we want him to come in and improve on his shooting. But his other things, he plays defense, he gets assists, he helps the others get better. He has some wonderful qualities. I think the coach wants to bring an assistant coach to help Ricky on his shooting and I think that’s where we’re going to start out and go and we’ll see how good Kris Dunn is.” Rubio has spent his entire five-year NBA career in Minnesota and is under contract through 2018/19.
Wolves power forward Nemanja Bjelica will have to miss the Olympics as he rehabs an injury to his right foot, according to Eurohoops. Doctors say the Serbian star needs at least three more weeks to heal before trying to play again. Opening ceremonies for the games in Rio de Janeiro are August 5th.

Wolves Notes: Prince, Bjelica, Olympics, Mitchell

April 16th, 2016 at 4:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wolves’ Tayshaun Prince surprised even himself by playing 78 games and averaging 19 minutes a night, relays Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. The 36-year-old says he feels good and has no plans to retire. The only question for Prince, who is headed toward free agency, is whether to come back to Minnesota or try to sign with a contender. “It’s all up in the air,” he said. “I really can’t speculate. I would love to see some of the things they do here and what opportunities would present themselves. Definitely it’s a possibility to come back, but it’s a crazy business.”

There’s more out of Minnesota:

Nemanja Bjelica‘s rookie season wasn’t what he expected, but he ended it with a flourish, Zgoda writes in the same story. The Wolves reached agreement with the draft-and-stash player last summer and watched as Bjelica struggled though his first NBA season, averaging 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 60 games. However, he raised his scoring average to 12.5 points per night and shot 68% over the final four games. “At the end of the day, I’m happy to be here,” Bjelica said. “I belong in this league. I compete with the best players. Of course, I have some up and downs. This is normal. I’m just happy because I finish season in good way, like positive.” Bjelica, 27, has two years and $8MM left on the contract he signed in July.
Wolves management is asking players to do more of their offseason workouts in Minnesota, Zgoda continues in the same piece, but the Olympics could get in the way. Possible Wolves Olympians include Ricky Rubio with Spain, Bjelica with Serbia, Gorgui Dieng with Senegal and Andrew Wiggins with Canada.
Former coach Sam Mitchell deserved the chance to build on the work he did with the young core in Minnesota, contends Sid Hartman of The Star Tribune. Mitchell, who was dismissed after the season’s final game Wednesday, took over the team on an interim basis in September after Flip Saunders encountered health problems that proved fatal. Continuity is important to a young team, Hartman argues, and there will be an adjustment process even if the Wolves are able to hire an experienced coach like Tom Thibodeau, Scott Brooks or Jeff Van Gundy, who have drawn mention as candidates. They will also expect a higher salary and more control over personnel decisions than Mitchell would have, Hartman notes.

Wolves Notes: Newton, Mitchell, Martin

December 31st, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Will Joseph

Timberwolves GM Milt Newton, who inherited duties of late coach/executive Flip Saunders and is not promised to remain in charge of the front office beyond this season, believes he can walk the fine line of honoring Saunders’ plan while still maintaining his own voice, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com details. In doing that, Newton is confident he can please owner Glen Taylor, Aschburner adds.

“The one thing he’s allowed me to do, he says, ‘Milt, if you see something that makes our team better, you have permission to do that,'” Newton said of Taylor, per Aschburner. “But I want to make sure I keep him involved — I don’t ever want to spring a situation on him. So whatever we do in the future, he would have known weeks in advance, maybe months in advance, this is the direction we’re heading in.”

Here’s more out of Minnesota:

Newton told Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN that trade chatter has been quiet, adding he recently sat down with Kevin Martin (Twitter link). Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press previously reported that Minnesota has made Martin available in trade discussions.
Whether or not Wolves interim coach Sam Mitchell becomes the team’s official leader beyond this season hinges on the young players’ development, on his coaching style and tactics, and on his demeanor and consistency in the job, Aschburner writes in a separate piece. Thus, the team’s record is not going to be the deciding factor, Aschburner surmises.
The Wolves are taking the same approach with Andrew Wiggins as the Spurs did with Kawhi Leonard in that they’re not trying to force him to be something he is not, Krawczynski writes. Wiggins, a budding star, is similar to Leonard because they are both immensely talented yet neither one seems to seek the spotlight, Krawczynski adds.
Rookie power forward Nemanja Bjelica has fallen out of the Wolves’ rotation, largely because of an inability to stay out of foul trouble, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune relays. Bjelica might also be struggling to adapt to a new country after playing professionally in Europe, Zgoda adds. “It’s the NBA, I came here to improve myself,” Bjelica said. “The first time I play in Spain five, six years ago, it was same. I again need to start doing everything from the beginning.”

Northwest Notes: Garnett, Kanter, Blazers

November 16th, 2015 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Top draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns says he learns something every day from his Timberwolves teammate and mentor Kevin Garnett, he revealed during a Q&A session with NBA.com’s David Aldridge published in Aldridge’s weekly column. Garnett has been teaching Towns how to protect his body so that he doesn’t wear down during his first season. The rookie power forward also told Aldridge that Garnett has instilled him with three tenets: “Work harder. Play defense. And continue to compete.” Garnett’s influence on his young teammates is far-reaching, even though he denies he’s a coach on the floor, according to Marino Eccher of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Garnett was spotted during Monday’s practice showing power forward Nemanja Bjelica how to guard pick-and-rolls in a one-on-one session, Eccher continues. After practice, Garnett provided teammates and coaches with insights on everything from defensive techniques to trash-talking, Eccher adds.

In other news around the Northwest Division:

The Thunder could overwhelm opponents in the first quarter if they started Enes Kanter at center, Matt Moore of CBSSports.com opines. While Steven Adams has earned the starting job, Kanter’s defensive shortcomings are more of a liability when he plays with the second unit, Moore argues. Oklahoma City’s firepower with Kanter playing alongside Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant would mask those shortcomings and the club could still close games with Adams in the middle, when defensive stops become more essential, Moore concludes.
The task for the Blazers this season is to find out which of their players around Damian Lillard are keepers and which aren’t, and games like Sunday’s clunker against the Hornets, after which coach Terry Stotts questioned his team’s effort and focus, can play a role in that process, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com examines.
The Timberwolves are continuing to engage in talks about finding a D-League affiliate for next season, though they aren’t close yet, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.

(Chuck Myron contributed to this report.)

And-Ones: Paul, Agent Changes, Leonard

October 28th, 2015 at 11:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Chris Paul rejects the notion that he’s a poor teammate, an idea that rumors of a rift between Paul and DeAndre Jordan helped fuel this summer, writes Dan Woike of the Orange County Register. Jordan has downplayed any tension, citing a mutual desire to win, and that’s just what Paul is thinking about as he envisions playing the rest of his career with the Clippers, as Woike details.

“Hell, I never imagined I’d leave New Orleans, but there’s no question this is where I want to be,” Paul said to Woike. “I want to win. Here.”

The earliest Paul can elect free agency is the summer of 2017. See more from around the NBA:

Agent Michael Tellem, the son of former agent turned Pistons organization executive Arn Tellem, is leaving the Wasserman Media Group for the Creative Artists Agency and taking high-profile client Danilo Gallinari with him, reports international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). Mario Hezonja, Bojan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica have dropped Tellem and will continue with Wasserman, Pick adds (on Twitter). The loss of Arn Tellem has proven tough for Wasserman, which also lost Al Horford, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joe Johnson over the offseason. Gallinari, Hezonja and Bjelica all signed new deals earlier this summer, while Bogdanovic remains on a deal with the Nets that runs through 2016/17.
Extension talks between the Trail Blazers and Meyers Leonard are off to a late start, but Leonard’s preference is to stay in Portland, observes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. The deadline for the sides to reach a deal is Monday. “I really, really like and love this city,” Leonard said. “I love the organization and now that a greater opportunity has presented itself, I think a lot more people are embracing me. I’d love to be here. That’s my hope. But I don’t know if I’ll get an extension. I don’t know what will happen after this year. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Al Harrington said in March that he was retiring, but instead the 16-year NBA veteran is joining the Sydney Kings of Australia on a four-week deal, league sources told Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia.

Northwest Notes: Millsap, Alexander, Bjelica

October 1st, 2015 at 10:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jazz coach Quin Snyder refuted a report by Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com that stated that the Jazz had lost faith in Elijah Millsap because of his poor shot selection and defensive shortcomings, Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders relays in a series of tweets. Snyder said that he checked in with Millsap each week over the summer, and that he was pleased with the progress the 27-year-old guard was making, Dowsett adds. The coach stopped short of saying that Millsap, whose contract is non-guaranteed, would make the regular season roster, but it does appear that the franchise is still invested in his development, Dowsett notes.

Here’s what else is happening in the Northwest Division:

Blazers rookie forward Cliff Alexander is hoping to put his difficult freshman season at Kansas behind him and to try and parlay his athleticism and rebounding skills into a regular season roster spot with the team, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes. Alexander went undrafted this year after entering his freshman campaign as a projected lottery pick.
Nemanja Bjelica has already impressed interim Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell with his wide range of skills, writes Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. “[He’s] very smart, moves the ball, can shoot the ball, just wants to play, unselfish to a fault,” Mitchell said of the 27-year-old rookie. “I like the way he plays. I’ve seen him on tape, but I like him a lot more in person.”
Thunder coach Billy Donovan is entering his first season as an NBA head man, but the players are excited about the possibilities that he brings with him to the team, Susan Bible of Basketball Insiders writes. But there is still a level of uncertainty for the players with any rookie coach, which is something that forward Nick Collison admitted, Bible adds. “I really won’t know until we get in the season,” Collison said when asked about Donovan. “I think he’s a real high-energy guy, and he’s also very experienced. I feel like our organization does a real good job with providing everything we need. I think they do a lot of work in everything they do, so I assume a coaching change, they put a lot of work into that and feel good about him, so I’m going to put a lot of faith in that. I’ve had quite a few meetings with him already, and I like what he’s talking about. [We’ll] see how it goes. I’ve had a lot of coaches before, so the one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t really know until you get into it, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Timberwolves Sign Nemanja Bjelica

July 14th, 2015 at 11:32am CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 14TH, 11:32am: The deal is official, the team announced (on Twitter).

1:40pm: Bjelica’s deal is worth $11.7MM over three years, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Bjelica confirmed that he’s heading to Minnesota in a statement released to Wojnarowski through Tellem. Minnesota will foot the maximum $625K toward his buyout from Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker, Wojnarowski adds. The total amount of that buyout was reportedly 1.2 million euros, the equivalent of more than $1.325MM, so Bjelica will have to pay the rest himself.

JULY 6TH, 1:12pm: The Timberwolves have reached a deal with draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link). Krawczynski reported in late June that the sides were close to agreement, and Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders more or less promised to get a deal done shortly thereafter. The sides had reportedly spoken about a $12MM deal over three years, but it’s unclear just how much the reigning Euroleague MVP is getting to come stateside.

The Arn Tellem client had reportedly been seeking between $5MM and $7MM a year, numbers that likely would have forced Minnesota to use its entire $5.434MM mid-level exception, though both sides have apparently held mutual interest for some time now. Minnesota acquired the rights to Bjelica in a trade on draft night in 2010, when the Wizards selected him 35th overall. Other teams reportedly had interest in trading for his rights this spring, but the Wolves clung to them.

Bjelica left Fenerbahce a few days ago after a season in which he averaged 11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 26.1 minutes per game. He’s 27 years old, so he would appear to be an already fully developed prospect, save for whatever seasoning he’ll pick up in the NBA this year.